A pre-departure medical for a foreign job is easiest when you treat it like a checklist, not a mystery. One missing photo or the wrong blood-test panel can push your ticket date — whether you are leaving on an overseas contract, completing a pre-employment medical for a factory or airline role, or doing visa medical blood tests your agency listed.
This sequence works for individual applicants and recruitment agencies in Sri Lanka — including airport, Free Trade Zone (FTZ), and overseas-job files.
Pre-Employment vs Visa / Overseas-Job Medicals
They are not the same. Confirm which file you hold before you book.
- Pre-employment (local or site job). A factory, FTZ workplace, airport, airline office, or hospitality employer asks you to confirm you are fit for the role. Typical parts are blood tests plus a basic physical. Food-handler screening is sometimes added.
- Visa / overseas-job medical. An embassy, licensed agency, or destination work system asks you to meet entry health rules. Blood tests are common. Many files also need a chest X-ray and a doctor’s examination at a designated centre.
Important: a full official Gulf / Wafid (GAMCA-style) visa medical must be completed at a government-assigned centre. MEDIFIT Healthcare in Kollupitiya handles Pre-GCC preparation screening, foreign employment medicals for many non-Gulf destinations, and the clinical plus blood-test parts of pre-employment files. We do not issue the official Wafid Gulf certificate.
Blood Tests Most Commonly Requested
These investigations appear again and again on pre-employment and pre-departure forms. Send your form and we will match the package.
- Full Blood Count (FBC) — anaemia, infection, and blood-cell levels; on almost every form
- Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) — diabetes screen; 8–12 hours fasting, best in the morning
- HbA1c — three-month blood-sugar average; sometimes instead of, or with, FBS
- Blood group and serum creatinine — employer record and basic kidney function
- Lipid profile — cholesterol and related fats; usually fasting
- HIV 1 & 2 and VDRL — common overseas-job items (VDRL screens for syphilis)
- Malarial parasites, TSH, and pregnancy test (HCG) — added when the destination or form requires them
Many destination packages also include urine analysis, chest X-ray, blood pressure, vision, and a doctor’s review. Lab-only results are often not enough for an overseas employment file.
Step 1 — Confirm Destination and Medical Type
Write down the country (or local employer), the job category (domestic, caregiver, factory, FTZ, hospitality, airport / airline, skilled, food handler), and whether you need a country medical, Pre-GCC screening, a local pre-employment panel, or more than one of these over time. Candidates from the airport belt and FTZ often complete this in one organised visit at Colombo 03.
Step 2 — Collect Documents Before You Book
Pack a valid passport, NIC, agency or employer medical form, photos if requested, old reports for ongoing conditions, and a vaccination card when relevant. Names on the report must match your job or visa paperwork exactly.
Step 3 — Book the Correct Centre and Package
Call or message MEDIFIT and read out the tests on your form. Ask which package matches, whether you need fasting, reporting time, agency collection, and shift-friendly slots. Explore Foreign Medicals and Pre-GCC Medicals before you travel into Colombo.
Step 4 — Prepare so You Do Not Repeat a Test
- Fasting tests (FBS, lipid profile): nothing but water for 8–12 hours. Morning is easiest.
- Avoid alcohol the night before and sleep properly — exhaustion can raise blood pressure.
- Pack passport, NIC, and the agency form together. Double-check the list with your agency first — a missed test delays departure.
Step 5 — Complete the Visit, Then Collect the Report
Expect registration, clinical assessment, and the investigations listed for your package. Ask if a test on your form seems missing. At MEDIFIT in Kollupitiya, consultation, labs, and imaging are coordinated in one place. Confirm collection time, then check your name, passport number, and dates. Most reports are a secure file you can forward to your agency. Do not laminate a report that still needs stamping. After clearance, keep the medical validity window in mind while visa, SLBFE, and ticket steps move.
For Agencies, FTZ Factories & Airline Teams
If you send a group — new-hire panels, annual checks, or food-handler screening — MEDIFIT can schedule candidates together at Colombo 03 with one consolidated set of reports. See foreign employment medicals for multiple countries if destinations differ in the same batch.
Checklist You Can Screenshot
- Pre-employment vs visa / overseas medical type confirmed
- Destination confirmed (country / Pre-GCC / local employer)
- Passport, NIC, and agency form packed — names match; photos if needed
- Fasting plan clear (8–12 hours for FBS / lipids)
- Appointment saved, including shift-friendly slots, and report collection planned
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can you do my full official visa medical?
We do blood-test components, pre-employment screening, country employment medicals, and Pre-GCC preparation. The official Wafid / Gulf certificate must come from an assigned centre — check with your agency which one.
2. Can I skip steps if my agent is handling everything?
Your agent can guide you, but you still carry the passport and attend the medical. Double-check the package name yourself.
3. What if my departure is soon, or I work airport shifts?
Say so when booking. MEDIFIT will tell you what is realistic for your panel and can schedule around shift patterns, including early-morning fasting slots.
4. Is this checklist the same for seafarers?
No. Seafarer medicals follow maritime rules. Use seafarer services if you are joining a ship, or foreign employment medicals if your job is shore-based abroad.
General information, not medical advice. Confirm the exact tests and approved centre with your employer, agency, or embassy before booking.
Ready for Pre-Departure Clearance?
Walk the checklist with MEDIFIT Healthcare at 18A, Schofield Place, Colombo 03. Contact us to book, or open Foreign Medicals to choose your destination path.